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^ THE GLASS FACTORY. ^
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,.»*^&£### SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST ###£&^*».,
,,.»*^&£## BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO ##£&^*».,,
,,,.»*^&£# THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY #£&^*».,,,
,,,,.»*^&£ NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES £&^*».,,,,
,,,.»*^&£# SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN #£&^*».,,,
,,.»*^&£## STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. ##£&^*».,,
,.»*^&£### FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR ###£&^*».,
,,.»*^&£## THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, ##£&^*».,,
,,,.»*^&£# AND A GIFT SHOP. #£&^*».,,,
,,,,.»*^&£ £&^*».,,,,
,,,.»*^&£# THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY #£&^*».,,,
,,.»*^&£## MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE ##£&^*».,,
,.»*^&£### CONSIDERED POOR. ###£&^*».,
,,.»*^&£## ##£&^*».,,
,,,.»*^&£# THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, #£&^*».,,,
,,,,.»*^&£ DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN £&^*».,,,,
,,,.»*^&£# YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, #£&^*».,,,
,,.»*^&£## REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. ##£&^*».,,
,.»*^&£### CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND ###£&^*».,
,,.»*^&£## LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE ##£&^*».,,
,,,.»*^&£# PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, #£&^*».,,,
,,,,.»*^&£ SOME ARE SHATTERED. £&^*».,,,,
,,,.»*^&£# #£&^*».,,,
,,.»*^&£## THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S ##£&^*».,,
,.»*^&£### A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT ###£&^*».,
,,.»*^&£## GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. ##£&^*».,,
,,,.»*^&£# VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON #£&^*».,,,
,,,,.»*^&£ TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF £&^*».,,,,
,,,.»*^&£# GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. #£&^*».,,,
,,.»*^&£## ##£&^*».,,
,.»*^&£### ^^ ###£&^*».,
,,.»*^&£## ^^ ^^ ##£&^*».,,
,,,.»*^&£# »»»»»»» ^ ^ »»»»»»» #£&^*».,,,
,,,,.»*^&£ ^^ ^^ £&^*».,,,,
,,,.»*^&£# ^^ #£&^*».,,,
,,.»*^&£## ##£&^*».,,
,.»*^&£### I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE ###£&^*».,
,,.»*^&£## OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS ##£&^*».,,
,,,.»*^&£# OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD #£&^*».,,,
,,,,.»*^&£ DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS £&^*».,,,,
,,,.»*^&£# BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF #£&^*».,,,
,,.»*^&£## DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO ##£&^*».,,
,.»*^&£### ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE ###£&^*».,
,,.»*^&£## LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK ##£&^*».,,
,,,.»*^&£# WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. #£&^*».,,,
,,,,.»*^&£ £&^*».,,,,
,,,.»*^&£# HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE #£&^*».,,,
,,.»*^&£## HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. ##£&^*».,,
,.»*^&£### IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY ###£&^*».,
,,.»*^&£## INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE ##£&^*».,,
,,,.»*^&£# IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM #£&^*».,,,
,,,,.»*^&£ WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS £&^*».,,,,
,,,.»*^&£# OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. #£&^*».,,,
,,.»*^&£## ##£&^*».,,
,.»*^&£### THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT ###£&^*».,
,,.»*^&£## HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT ##£&^*».,,
,,,.»*^&£# LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND #£&^*».,,,
,,,,.»*^&£ TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST £&^*».,,,,
,,,.»*^&£# A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH #£&^*».,,,
,,.»*^&£## STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE ##£&^*».,,
,.»*^&£### BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN ###£&^*».,
,,.»*^&£## ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING ##£&^*».,,
,,,.»*^&£# LIT FROM BEHIND. #£&^*».,,,
,,,,.»*^&£ £&^*».,,,,
,,,.»*^&£# I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT #£&^*».,,,
,,.»*^&£## THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE ##£&^*».,,
,.»*^&£### WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S ###£&^*».,
,,.»*^&£## LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN ##£&^*».,,
,,,.»*^&£# ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, #£&^*».,,,
,,,,.»*^&£ AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE £&^*».,,,,
,,,.»*^&£# OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. #£&^*».,,,
,,.»*^&£## ##£&^*».,,
,.»*^&£### ^^ ###£&^*».,
,,.»*^&£## ^^ ^^ ##£&^*».,,
,,,.»*^&£# »»»»»»» ^ ^ »»»»»»» #£&^*».,,,
,,,,.»*^&£ ^^ ^^ £&^*».,,,,
,,,.»*^&£# ^^ #£&^*».,,,
,,.»*^&£## ##£&^*».,,
,.»*^&£### MY FEAR HOLDS ME IN PLACE WHILE HE ###£&^*».,
,,.»*^&£## STARTS OPERATING LEVERS AND DIALS SET ##£&^*».,,
,,,.»*^&£# IN THE CENTER OF THE STAIRCASE. SLOWLY, #£&^*».,,,
,,,,.»*^&£ IT STARTS SPINNING, CIRCLING UPWARDS. £&^*».,,,,
,,,.»*^&£# IT'S AN ELEVATOR! I START TO RUN #£&^*».,,,
,,.»*^&£## DOWNWARDS, BUT NOW THE LIQUID BOY ##£&^*».,,
,.»*^&£### CREATURE GRABS HOLD OF ME. I TRY TO ###£&^*».,
,,.»*^&£## SHAKE HIM OFF, BUT HE'S TOO STRONG, AND ##£&^*».,,
,,,.»*^&£# PULLS ME BACK UP BESIDE HIM. #£&^*».,,,
,,,,.»*^&£ £&^*».,,,,
,,,.»*^&£# THIS TIME, I TURN ANGRY INSTEAD. WHAT #£&^*».,,,
,,.»*^&£## THE HELL? WHO IS THIS GUY, ACTING LIKE ##£&^*».,,
,.»*^&£### THIS? I REACH OUT MY FREE ARM AND SLAM ###£&^*».,
,,.»*^&£## A RANDOM LEVER. SOME METAL BAR IS ##£&^*».,,
,,,.»*^&£# SUDDENLY RELEASED BETWEEN US, HITTING #£&^*».,,,
,,,,.»*^&£ HIM ON THE ARM, FORCING MY RELEASE. I £&^*».,,,,
,,,.»*^&£# SHOVE HIM OFF OF ME, AND HE FALLS INTO #£&^*».,,,
,,.»*^&£## THE LEVERS, MESSING THEM UP. ##£&^*».,,
,.»*^&£### IMMEDIATELY, A THIN RUSTY CHAINMAIL ###£&^*».,
,,.»*^&£## CURTAIN IS DROPPED AROUND ME. BUT THE ##£&^*».,,
,,,.»*^&£# ELEVATOR ALSO SPEEDS UP SIGNIFICANTLY. #£&^*».,,,
,,,,.»*^&£ £&^*».,,,,
,,,.»*^&£# THE WALLS ARE FLARING NOW, YELLOW, #£&^*».,,,
,,.»*^&£## WHITE, ALMOST BLUE. I CLOSE MY EYES AND ##£&^*».,,
,.»*^&£### CURL INTO A BALL. BUT THEN, THE GLASS ###£&^*».,
,,.»*^&£## BOY SCREAMS, A PIERCING SOUND THAT ##£&^*».,,
,,,.»*^&£# FORCES MY EYES BACK OPEN. I WATCH AS HE #£&^*».,,,
,,,,.»*^&£ BECOMES TOO LIQUID, HIS BODY POOLING £&^*».,,,,
,,,.»*^&£# DOWN IN HIS NOW MASSIVE TAIL, AND THE #£&^*».,,,
,,.»*^&£## TIP OF IT SUDDENLY BREAKS OF IN A GLASS ##£&^*».,,
,.»*^&£### DROP THAT FALLS TOWARD THE FACTORY ###£&^*».,
,,.»*^&£## FLOOR. ##£&^*».,,
,,,.»*^&£# #£&^*».,,,
,,,,.»*^&£ HE'S CRAWLING ON THE STAIRS, UNABLE TO £&^*».,,,,
,,,.»*^&£# KEEP HIS BODY UPRIGHT. CAN'T REACH THE #£&^*».,,,
,,.»*^&£## LEVERS, CLAWS AT MY CHAINMAIL CAGE, ##£&^*».,,
,.»*^&£### WHILE HIS BODY IS TURNING INTO DARK ###£&^*».,
,,.»*^&£## PEARLS. FINALLY, HE'S LOST TOO MUCH OF ##£&^*».,,
,,,.»*^&£# HIMSELF AND THE SCREAM IS CUT SHORT. #£&^*».,,,
,,,,.»*^&£ THE LAST OF HIM RAINS DOWN. £&^*».,,,,
,,,.»*^&£# #£&^*».,,,
,,.»*^&£## I STILL CAN'T REACH THE LEVERS FROM ##£&^*».,,
,.»*^&£### WITHIN MY CAGE. LOOKING UP, I TRY TO ###£&^*».,
,,.»*^&£## MAKE OUT THE CEILING, BUT IT'S ALL A ##£&^*».,,
,,,.»*^&£# WHIRLING SEA OF COLOURS. BELOW ME GLOWS #£&^*».,,,
,,,,.»*^&£ THE HELLFIRE OF THE FACTORY WALLS, BUT £&^*».,,,,
,,,.»*^&£# VERY FAINT. I SIT DOWN, CURL BACK UP, #£&^*».,,,
,,.»*^&£## BECOME STILL. ##£&^*».,,
,.»*^&£### ###£&^*».,
,,.»*^&£## ^^ ##£&^*».,,
,,,.»*^&£# ^^ ^^ #£&^*».,,,
,,,,.»*^&£ »»»»»»» ^ ^ »»»»»»» £&^*».,,,,
,,,.»*^&£# ^^ ^^ #£&^*».,,,
,,.»*^&£## ^^ ##£&^*».,,
,.»*^&£### ###£&^*».,
,,.»*^&£## A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, ##£&^*».,,
,,,.»*^&£# AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M #£&^*».,,,
,,,,.»*^&£ BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE £&^*».,,,,
,,,.»*^&£# STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, #£&^*».,,,
,,.»*^&£## CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST ##£&^*».,,
,.»*^&£### FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, ###£&^*».,
,,.»*^&£## SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, ##£&^*».,,
,,,.»*^&£# AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. #£&^*».,,,
,,,,.»*^&£ £&^*».,,,,
,,,.»*^&£# SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER #£&^*».,,,
,,.»*^&£## THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK ##£&^*».,,
,.»*^&£### GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND ###£&^*».,
,,.»*^&£## I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE ##£&^*».,,
,,,.»*^&£# THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? #£&^*».,,,
,,,,.»*^&£ £&^*».,,,,
,,,.»*^&£# I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. #£&^*».,,,
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